Blackboard will create a virtual bookstore accessed from within the company's learning management system, Blackboard Learn. As seen in two conceptualscreenshots shared by a Blackboard spokeswoman, the bookstore will automatically gather the materials assigned in a student's courses for easy checkout. The spokeswoman also said the bookstore, created in cooperation with MBS Direct, will help faculty members find materials -- both traditional textbooks and open resources -- for their courses.

The new feature can be seen as an effort to expand the LMS beyond a course repository, and also as an attempt to keep students inside the Learn ecosystem. By offering students an integrated bookstore that doesn't require a separate login, Blackboard can prevent them from shopping at sites such as Amazon or eBay's Half.com.